The trial of five people for the murder of Lucas Strasser-Hird continues in a Calgary courtroom.
The 18-year-old victim was attacked in an alley in the 200 block of 10th Avenue Southwest in November of 2013. He was beaten and stabbed and later died in hospital.
Witnesses have testified that on the night of the attack, one of the accused became irate because of how long it was taking to get his coat back from the coat check at the Vinyl Nightclub, which is now shut down. He allegedly used racial slurs and the victim stepped in to object to that.
Later than evening, the victim was attacked in a brawl in the alley.
The victim’s father, Dale Hird, says it has been difficult to hear the details of the attack, especially since three of the four men on trial are out on bail.
“I bumped into them, I rub shoulders with them. They've walked through the same doorway as me. It's unreal, I'm numb, and completely numb after five weeks,” he said.
Hird says he tries to remember the good times with his only son.
Four people are charged with second-degree murder in the case:
- Franz Cabrera
- Joch Pouk
- Assmar Shlah
- Jordan Liao
A fifth accused, Nathan Gervais, disappeared earlier this year and a warrant is out for his arrest on a charge of first-degree murder.
